Chile's constituent assembly, charged with drafting the country's new constitution, on Saturday approved an early proposal that opens the door to nationalizing some of the world's largest copper and lithium mines.
Предлог Одбора за животну средину, који се састао током викенда први пут од оснивања као крајњег рока за затварање предлога, добио је 13 гласова за, три против и три уздржана.
The proposal, which focuses on large-scale mining of copper, lithium and gold, has yet to be approved by two-thirds of the general assembly to become part of Chile's new charter, which will be put to a national referendum later this year.
С обзиром да чилеанска држава већ поседује основна права на рударство, аналитичари су тај потез описали као директан напад на приватне интересе и дали влади годину дана да национализује компанију.
The companies involved in metallic and non-metallic minerals and hydrocarbons may not be compensated for the loss of mining rights. The proposal says the auditor general would determine this based on the company's book value, with a maximum payment period of 30 years.
Текст такође предвиђа да се послови и пројекти започети пре 1993. године морају поднети на еколошку процену у року од три године. Концесије у искљученим областима, као што су близу глечера и на домородачком земљишту, биће повучене.
Савет за животну средину - заједно са младим активистима - гласао је за први нацрт предлога почетком фебруара, што је изазвало моменталну реакцију, чак и од самих чилеанских власти.
Diego Hernandez, head of the National Mining Association, which represents companies in the industry, describes the idea as "barbaric" and "clearly wrong legally".
Рударски ветеран{0}}левог центра рекао је да је мера усмерена на компаније и ресурсе, што би имало велике економске и правне импликације за Чиле.
"Given the globalization of the world, I would expect the affected companies to resort to treaties to defend their legitimate interests," Mr. Hernandez said.
Sergio Bitar, a socialist politician who was mining minister in 1973 under the deposed leftist government of Salvador Allende, called the initiative a "mad return to the past."
Чиле је 1967. године донео закон којим се захтева да компаније буду у власништву најмање 51 одсто грађана. Четири године касније држава је откупила преосталих 49 одсто и компанија је у потпуности национализована.
"I remember all the problems we had trying to sell copper outside of the commercial circle, and I remember when Congress voted not to pay the company any compensation for loss of assets and profits, and that's what I'm listening to right now," Bitar said in an interview with MercoPress.
"There is one thing that is dream, wishful thinking," the veteran politician said. "The other is reality, which shows how dependent Chile is on global powers (...). For example, China now buys a third of Chile's copper, so what is our strategy for nationalised mining companies? Reduced exports?" "He pointed out.
Веће накнаде
Chile, the world's biggest copper producer and host to two of its biggest lithium miners, is in the process of amending its constitution to replace the market-centred one, which dates back to the military dictatorship of General Augusto Pinochet.
The country produced 5.6 million tons of copper in 2021, about 25 percent of the world's total, and has nearly 70 billion in potential mining projects this decade, most of which will never materialize if the country nationalizes its resources.
Politicians in the world's largest copper producer are also fine-tuning a new mining royalty bill that would raise tariffs on companies based on gross sales and profitability.
In its latest report, FTI said: "We estimate that if the new tax is approved, Chilean copper miners could see their tax rate rise to 80 per cent and profit margins fall by more than 50 per cent at current copper prices."
Analysts believe that while outright nationalisation, as proposed, is unlikely, the chances of a radical new royalty regime are far greater. It could "push the Chilean tax system into pseudo expropriation territory, especially as prices are likely to remain above 4 a pound, which is a 75 per cent tax rate."
Закључили су да би Чиле могао да постане земља са највећим пореским оптерећењем на рударство бакра, што би приморало компаније да{0}}преиспитају одрживост својих садашњих и будућих инвестиција.
